Scott Pendlebury hit on Lachie Neale: Collingwood star avoids first-ever suspension

Kieran Francis

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Scott Pendlebury hit on Lachie Neale: Collingwood star avoids first-ever suspension image

Collingwood legend Scott Pendlebury has avoided his first career suspension after striking Brisbane's Lachie Neale on Thursday night.

The 36-year-old was handed a $3,750 fine ($2,500 with an early plea) by the AFL's Match Review Officer after the incident was graded low impact.

If it was classified as medium impact, Pendlebury would have been suspended for one match.

MORE: AFL Match Review and Tribunal, explained: Charge gradings, how it works

Video of Scott Pendlebury's strike on Lachie Neale

Late in the third quarter, Pendlebury struck Neale in the stomach/ribs region with an open hand while the duo were at a stoppage.

The blow was enough to send Neale to the ground, with the Lions midfielder on his haunches, visibly in pain.

The 36-year-old wasn't reported by officiating umpires at the time but the incident was reviewed by the AFL Match Review Officer (MRO) on Friday.

Will Scott Pendlebury be suspended by the AFL MRO?

Note: This was written prior to the AFL MRO's decision

Whether Pendlebury faces a suspension will be up to the interpretation of the incident by the AFL's MRO.

A similar incident from Opening Round, involving George Hewett and coincidentally Neale, saw both players be fined.

If the strike is assessed as low impact, then Pendlebury will get a fine regardless if it is graded careless or intentional.

But if the MRO deems the hit as medium impact, a one-match suspension for the Collingwood icon will be handed out if it is classed as intentional.

What Scott Pendlebury said about the incident?

“He said he got a fine for a similar thing after the game,” Pendlebury said on the broadcast post-match.

“I said sorry to him, I didn’t mean to get him right there.

“What will be will be, retaliator always gets caught, Mum taught me that, I got sucked in tonight.”

Has Scott Pendlebury been suspended before?

In his 387-game career, Pendlebury has never been suspended by the AFL MRO or Tribunal.

In fact, the only blemish on his AFL record is a $2000 fine for a rough conduct offence against Sam Powell-Pepper in 2022.

Kieran Francis

Kieran Francis Photo

Kieran Francis is a senior editor at The Sporting News based in Melbourne, Australia. He started at Sportal.com.au before being a part of the transition to Sporting News in 2015. Just prior to the 2018 World Cup, he was appointed chief editor of Goal.com in Australia. He has now returned to The Sporting News where his passions lay in football, AFL, poker and cricket - when he is not on holiday.